The first time I saw a vision board come to reality was when I and my husband, Sola (then fiancé) were looking for a house to move into after our wedding.

We searched the whole of abuja and everyone that has gone house hunting in this town will tell you how frustrating it can be. After losing a house we were just about to get, we were both heartbroken and Sola asked me what type of house I wanted, and asked that I get a picture of it. Honestly I didn’t even know what type of house I wanted 😂. All I knew was that I wanted somewhere in town & conducive to live in. Anyways, I checked online and I found what seemed to be a descent house in a descent location I sent the picture to Sola and he put it up on his vision board and we prayed about it. About 2 days later we got a call😀.An agent who had been helping us search for houses had seen something similar to what we described. I almost fainted when I saw the house let alone hear the price. It was the exact amount we budgeted. 😮 The house looked very very similar to the image I had shared with Sola. It was newly built by a company for it’s staff I guess that’s why it was subsidized.

It doesn’t always happen miraculously but vision boards do help us manifest what we really desire. Studies show that we move closer toward what we consistently see. You may not be reaching your highest potential, not because you don’t have faith, talent or determination, but because you’re not keeping the right things in front of you. I’m learning to dream bigger and be more specific about what I want. Because really, life doesn’t give you what you deserve, life gives you what you demand.

If there’s anything you strongly desire right now, I recommend you write it down, get a picture that represents it, pray to God about it and believe that your prayers are answered.

Some of us find it hard to believe we are capable of enjoying certain things in life. you may think you’re too young to have that dream job or own your own house or own your car but really, you are just limiting yourself.

Make a decision to identify the things you most desire this year and ask God for them confidently believing that He has already given them to you.

A vision board is simply a tool that helps you activate the law of attraction. The Law of attraction is the ability to attract into your life what ever you are focusing on. It isn’t fetish or demonic. As christians God wants us to write our visions down and make them plain (Habakkuk 2:2).

The best way to achieve your goals is to keep them top of mind,and in front of your eyes so you’re always looking for ways to move yourself closer to them – and a vision board is the perfect tool to help you do that.

HOW TO CREATE A VISION BOARD

1. Identify what you currently desire

2. Write them down

3. Look for pictures that best represent them

4. Cut out the pictures and paste on a cardboard or an actual board.

5. Place your vision board somewhere you can easily see it everyday.

6. Pray to God and believe it will be done

7. Strategize, Plan and execute

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you have a vision board? or are you yet to make yours?

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Happy new month friends

There’s no doubt that this year, 2018, is my best year yet and the funny thing is that it was an intentional decision I made at the end of 2017. I chose to make this year my best ever. In this post, I am sharing 8 things that made this year different and better for me.

1. Sola: I initially typed in marriage but I figured it’s not so much about getting married, but who I’m married to.

This year has been truly amazing because I chose to spend the rest of my life with Sola in December 2017 and every single month from December up to this moment has been filled with peace and joy. I am convinced that he is the best the person for me. He has added so much value to my life and has taught me a lot in this short period.

I can tell that I have grown in different areas of my life. Our courtship was very traditional and we were restricted in many ways and to be honest I didn’t know him as much as I do now. (Before we got married I was convinced I knew him in and out but naaa…now I know that you can never fully know someone). The good news is he is an even better person that I expected and he is a major reason why this year has been (and is still is ) awesome.

2. Joyful living: I did write about this earlier in the year. you can read the post on Joyful Living here. 2017 was a bit rough for me and I made up my mind ahead of time to be joyful in 2018. It was an intentional decision and guess what? IT WORKED!!!

There is no way you can go through life without encountering down times but your disposition in those “down moments” matter a lot. and so I gave myself a pep talk at the beginning of the year. I accepted the fact that there would be so many down moments but I would not react negatively to whatever negative situation I find myself in. To be honest, I didn’t think it would be possible, but I practiced and practiced and I’ve come a long way. Besides, I think it’s a leadership skill everyone needs to have- being emotionally strong. and I’m really happy I worked on that area of my life this year, it’s really paying off.

3. The Love walk: I learnt so much about the love walk at the bible school i’m currently attending called Rhema Bible Training Centre, A non denominational bible school. You cant change people unless you have loved them the way Christ loves us. As with everything else, it’s not easy to love everyone, especially people who have offended you but it helps you be at peace with all men and this contributes to your overall state of mind.

4. Knowing when to care more and when to care less: I have always cared too much about peoples opinions and I have discovered that that is a fast way to fail in life. People will always talk. Part of my growth this year was my ability to make decisions and stand confidently by my decisions. I did make extra effort to care about the welfare of people around me, and I provided as much help as I could but I didn’t give room for any form of negative energy.

5. Setting my priorities: still in the line of knowing when to care more and when to care less, I did set my priorities straight this year. I know clearly, the people that matter the most in my life. God being number one. I know where I want to be in 5 years, I don’t have all the details but I also know where I don’t want to be. This helped guide my decision especially with how I spent my time this year.

5. Using a monthly planner: There’s a statement I heard sometime ago that totally changed my view on life. It says “Your life,in the end, is the total sum of how you spent your time”. This is soo true and I think everyone needs to be aware of this fact. You can’t get yourself involved in irrelevant activities if you know how valuable your time it. Irrelevant activities may not necessarily be bad or negative, they might just be things that are not in line with your purpose.

For me, Scheduling my time has helped me cut out irrelevant activities. I am someone who is passionate about a lot of things, and sometimes it’s hard telling the difference between the activities that are relevant for me per time and the ones that aren’t but this year, I found it a lot easier when I planned properly. At the beginning of a new month I would print out the months calendar in a page and then list out all the key things I had to do and when I had to do them, that way there was no room for idleness and I was able to measure how much I achieved in a month and I can say for sure that I did spend my time wisely.

6. De – cluttering: Clearing out junk from my closet was another major achievement for me this year. As a lady, you tend to have so many fashion items and realize after a while that you aren’t utilizing them all. I gave out a lot of items and made some extra cash from others and the interesting thing is, the more I gave out, the more I received. But it’s safe to say that my wardrobe is a bit healthier than it used to be LOL.

7. Fitness: I was ill too many times this year, especially at the beginning of the year and It wasn’t what most people would have thought it was. *clears throat* After several visits to the hospital I decided to take my health more seriously, I watched what I ate, ensured I was physically active at least twice a week and got enough rest. I noticed a difference both internally and externally. 🙂

8. Skincare routine: My skin became more radiant and it was as a result of multiple factors,

1. Husby 😛
2. Rest
3. Exercise
4. Good food
5. Peace of mind
6. The right products for my skin and
7. actually sticking to a skincare routine.
I am currently working on a video explaining my updated night routine which I would share sometime this week.

2019 is looking even better already, I’ve been making plans and trusting God to fulfill them and even go beyond my expectations…At the end of the day, the aim is to live my best life daily. I hope you are living your best life everyday too?

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In my last post where I talked about how I started the Gingerlie Lifestyle Blog, I did hint that I had finally written an extremely easy guide to help beginners start their blog so here I am, sharing 4 things you need to set up your lifestyle blog.

I’m so happy I finally get to share these steps because I have gotten several questions about it. I tried my best to make it as simple as possible and I hope you know that I’m not an IT professional. I have only done this once (when I was setting up my own blog) through trial and error… But I will share the basic steps that worked. Don’t expect to know it all at once because over the years a lot has changed – and things will keep changing. There are new tools you will need to learn to help grow and maintain your blog but right now I have listed out the very basic things you need to set up the website. Leave a comment below if you still have questions after reading this.

Before I go into the technical bit I think its important that I share some key tips for a successful lifestyle blog:

1. Find your voice and be yourself: Most part of my blogging journey has been me trying really hard to be perfect which isn’t a completely bad thing if you are striving for excellence. But while putting your best foot forward, you need to be yourself to connect with your own audience. Not everybody is your target audience and you need to be fine with that. of course theres the business angle of it where you need to figure out how to reach enough people and drive traffic but that should not stop you from being authentic.

Finding your voice also means choosing your niche, when choosing your niche you need to consider your passion and profit. When I started mine, I didn’t think I would be able to make any profit from it because I did not know any lifestyle blogger back then, I had only seen Nigerian gossip blogs – like Linda Ikeji’s blog make profit. But now things are a lot different so when starting out, find a “problem” you think you can solve. Your blog needs to be giving people answers they need. So Identify what questions people are asking especially in your area of interest. Don’t worry about that specific niche being saturated, there’s enough room for all, trust me.

2. Be consistent: Till this very moment, I need to be honest with you, I haven’t been as consistent as I would love to. But it’s a work in progress. You need to set the right structures in place and plan to succeed at it. For me I aim at putting out a new post every Sunday. Initially I tried uploading every Friday which worked for a while but right now Sundays work better for me. If you can put up a new post every single day of the week that will be awesome! but find what works for you and stick to it. Having an editorial calendar will really help you.

3. Quality over quantity: It’s not enough to post consistently but you need to put out quality content. Don’t post just to post. Avoid plagiarism or copying other peoples content. Most importantly pay attention to your data. Use google analytics and other tools to understand your audience better so that you can plan when to upload your post’s and what type of content they prefer.

and most importantly, connect with your readers, sometimes it’s easy to forget it’s real humans that read your blog so try and find ways to build a relationship with them, get to know them while they get to know you…

HERE ARE THE 4 STEPS TO SET UP YOUR BLOG

1. Register your domain name I recommend Whogohost
2. Get a hosting plan I also recommend Whogohost
3. Download the blogging platform, just like an app. I would recommend WordPress it is user friendly.
4. Get a great theme and set it up. You can get unique premium themes from Envato

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Lately, I’ve been reminiscing about my journey as a blogger (I think i’m always doing that LOOL) and in this post I will share with you how it all started… How Gingerlie Lifestyle Blog came into existence.

Let me take you back to 2015 when I was posted to Cross River state for my youth service. I was originally posted to Kogi state where I camped. I enjoyed my camp experience so much (weird right). I socialized a lot more than I normally would and even contested in the miss NYSC beauty pageant which I won 😀. I won a flat screen TV which the NYSC officials collected from me when the realized I was redeployed 🙁 .I eventually redeployed to Cross river where I didn’t know anyone at all – well.. except my big sis and her husband who were there on official appointment.

Making friends was a bit difficult for me because I was shy coupled with the fact that I stayed with my sister. I was that corper who worked at her convenience, lived in a fancy house and drove a Lexus😂. Serious borrow pose (all my sisters’!) So I didn’t really get to mix up with the other corper’s and experience the #corperlife. I was bored half the time but had access to a laptop, internet and electricity 😬.

I knew I was privilege. In fact I’ve always felt privileged and I remember how at some point in my childhood I was convinced I would never be successful – after all the only success stories I heard were of people who were less privileged or people who had a difficult childhood and overcame it all. But me…I had it easy…to a large extent and I did not think I could ever be successful because of that. I was brainwashed with the idea that the most successful people are the ones with the hardest upbringing. Thankfully I now know that’s not true at all. We all have the opportunity to be successful regardless of our backgrounds.

Despite being convinced that I wouldn’t make it in life. I still tried in little ways to be the best I could (if not for anything, at least to appreciate all my mum did for us.

I started reading books on how to be the best version of myself ( self development books). In my Js. 3, I read a book on “how to read and understand” (I’m not too sure about the title) it was written by a Nigerian. He basically talked about how the brain can assimilate whatever you want it to – the trick is to do it purposefully and consciously. After reading that book I felt I could conquer the world! And I did. I came third in class that term ( unlike my usual 11th- 16th In a class of about 30. As RP girls will put it “I climbed stage”.

I started believing in myself more. I became more purposeful about my lifestyle. I was deliberate about Places, conversations and people, friends especially. I stayed away from bad gang 😂 (at least I tried my best 🙈)

Okay so back to 2015. I was BORED most of the time and I had access to my laptop and internet so I would watch YouTube channels. I’ve never really enjoyed watching TV, the only channel I watched back then was Ebony Life. I couldn’t get enough of Bolanle, Ebuka and Toke Makinwa and I’d get soo inspired and want to share what I learnt. I’ve always had a diary but I wanted to share my thoughts on a platform where people could easily access what I had written. I also wanted to be able to curate tools and materials to help any individual live more purposefully.

and so I started my research on how to set up a blog. I followed the different steps until I got it! It took me about a month – I guess – to get it up and running (I have finally written an extremely easy guide to help beginners start their blog I will share that in my next post). I didn’t have a name for my blog yet and I started praying for God to give me a name – Yes I prayed about it! I’m not sure why but I guess I was led to…You may think “after all it’s just a name, why do you have to pray about it?” But I do believe it’s important to invove God in anything from the very beginning…not until you feel stuck

One Sunday after church I was preparing lunch for my sister’s family and I literally started picking names of food items in the kitchen to see which would go better with “lifestyle blog” and somehow GINGERLIE LIFESTYLE BLOG sounded better! Guys I kid you not, that’s how I came about the name for this blog.

The interesting thing for me is that I also came up with the tag line “Making purposeful living a lifestyle” because I wanted to create a space where I shared tips and resources to help youths make better decisions” and after some weeks I googled the name gingerlie and discovered that Gingerly means “in a careful or cautious manner” and “showing great care or caution.” and I was super convinced that it wasn’t a coincidence that I chose Gingerlie as the name of my blog. God chose it for me and He wants me to use this platform to help youths make purposeful living a lifestyle.

So that’s the story behind the blog and I’m super grateful for how far I’ve come and for where this is going…I know there are lot’s of people out there who want to start their blogs but are discouraged or not sure what to do. You may think there are already too many blogs out there but guess what, there are too many tomato sellers out there too and yet it still sells. God has designed us differently and we all have something unique to bring to the table. Don’t let anything…or anyone discourage you from fulfilling all that He has called you to do. The sky is big enough for us all. And like I always tell people around me “Blogging is only a path to where you are going, it is not your final destination…

“Blogging is only a path to where you are going, it is not your final destination…

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Happy New Month! and welcome back to my blog.I incorporated something new in my beauty regime and I thought to share with you.

For a very long time, I believed “beauty products” were the same as “make up products”. If I were to mention beauty products, you’ll hear me say foundation, lipstick, mascara…and so on – until recently…I found out that beauty products are wayyy more important than make up products and they are completely different from what I thought they were. With research, I’ve learned a lot more about night creams and body scrubs and toners and other products that make your skin healthier.

Please I said healthier…not whiter. LOOL. I’m not an advocate of skin lightening AKA Bleaching.

If your skin is healthy, it will glow whether its fair or dark.

I also realized lately that lot’s of make up on doesn’t suit me at all. To be honest, I was a bit heartbroken about this new discovery, because I love makeup and I like to watch Youtubers and make up artists work their magic, but I haven’t been able to slay that way so I’ve just accepted the fact that it’s not my calling…there are other ways to slay . LOL. Even when professional make up artist’s “beat my face” I’ve realized that I still look a lot better natural or with very minimal make up on. My beauty radiates a lot more when my skin is properly taken care off and when I’m at peace :D. Sleep works magic for me ( I say this all the time) If I don’t get enough sleep…it tells on my face – even before I start feeling worn out…

That being said, If you are going to make some beauty investment’s, here is a great place to start.

Get Night Creams!

Using Night cream is a unique way of rejuvenating your skin especiallyy after a day out in the sun. Most, if not all night creams are anti – aging/ anti- wrinkle creams however, It’s never too early to start using them. Researchers say that “Anti- wrinkle products, can be used as early as age 21, but it’s important to use products that are appropriate for your skin type”. They help firm up and hydrate your skin. I noticed a huge difference when I started using night creams and I believe it’s one of the best investments I’ve made so far.

These are a few clinically tested products that I can guaranty work. Not just because of their names but because of reviews from various sources. They may seem pricey but remember that they are “beauty investments” so eventually it will pay off with consistent use. And besides its just a drop or 2 that’s needed at each use.

I’d love to know what you think about then. are they worth the investment? or are they too expensive?

This post was put together in partnership with Hartland Beauty Supply. They have an all inclusive beauty house with a saloon and a wide range of quality beauty products. Located at No. 72B Aminu Kano Cresent Wuse 2 Abuja. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

XO

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You have to admit that high waist Palazzo trousers are currently trending and are a must-have. What I love about high waist Palazzo trousers is the fact that they make my waist look slimmer and my hips look thicker. 😀 That’s every woman’s dream right? The outfit in this blog is by Second Skin Nigeria and I love every thing about it. Its totally my style – Classic Chic.

Second Skin Nigeria is a contemporary African designer. They have classic chic outfits for the modern woman. They cater to both Ready to Wear and Bespoke loving clients…

HOW TO ROCK HIGH WAISTED PALAZZO PANTS

Style is a way to say who you are…

…Without having to speak…

In styling a Palazzo trouser, there are literally no boundaries, I paired mine with a crop top, but you can decide to

1. Tuck in your top
2. Use a tank top and Kimono
3. A blouse with a bell hand
4. A turtle neck top
5. A blazer and camisole
6. A cold shoulder top

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Some books are so powerful that they completely change your perspective on life. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is that book.

I read it sometime ago and it filled me with so much positive energy. I’m certain I would read it again. To think that the book was originally published in 1988 and its still very viable in 2018! That is amazing.

I’m going to be talking about the lessons and inspiration I drew from this book but before I do that let me give you an overview of the book.

The Alchemist basically tells the story of a young boy(Santiago) who had a dream (a reoccurring dream to be precise) that there were treasures in the Egyptian pyramid. He believed the dream so much that he embarked on a journey from his small town, through the Sahara desert, to Egypt. The journey eventually turned out to be an adventure.

“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.” (this was the theme all through the book)

1. The first thing I got from this Alchemist is that you have to have a dream in order to follow your dream. To have a dream, means to want something. We shouldn’t be afraid to think big. Don’t ever doubt that your “big dreams” can’t come true.

2. Relationships should never stop us from achieving our dream: When Santiago met Fatima on his journey, he fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. Fatima insisted he completed his journey first before they get married. She was in love with him, but she wanted him to fulfill his dreams. The relationships you have shouldn’t discourage you from fulfilling your dreams.

This made me realize how blessed I am with the people in my life. I’ve had so much support and encouragement from the few people who I have shared my dreams with. This leads to me my final lesson. (cliche but true)

3. Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire: Avoid fear and doubt because every failure is part of your journey. When Santiago got to the Egyptian pyramid, he realized that the journey was not just about the treasure, but also about the journey itself.

The journey is what prepares us for our dreams. The only true failure is failing to go after your dream at all. So please, by all means, BE FEARLESS

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I got featured on stylvo! Feature Friday: Today we are appreciating an amazing creative @gingerlielifestyle Modupe Sowunmi is a Nigerian lifestyle blogger and influencer who has a strong passion for fashion, beauty, interior…

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Lately I’ve been looking out for creative communities to engage in, from blogging conferences to empowerment workshops. Even though a lot of these things can be learned online, sometimes being around people…

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To get a good job in Abuja, Nigeria can be quite tough, but it is not impossible. Here are my thoughts on what it takes to get a good job in Abuja.

People use words like luck and connection to describe getting a job in Abuja…and they are right. Getting a job in Abuja, especially in this economy is quite difficult. NYSC corpers pass out every year and yet very few of them get good jobs 6-12 months after service. After having my fair share of job search. These are what I think it takes to get a good job in Abuja;

1.Experience: Lots of companies and organizations ask for applicants with many years of experience (They are not kidding ). You need to have experience in the field you are applying for in order to be considered. But can you really blame them?? Would you employ someone who doesn’t have a clue as to how things are supposed to be done???

If you don’t have experience then it won’t hurt to volunteer or intern in your field of interest. You don’t have to wait till you graduate, you can use a portion of your holiday for this. It will give you an edge over your peers. Even in situations when you “know someone”, Sometimes, the experience you have can affect the company’s decision to employ you and determine how much you are paid. This leads me to my second point.

2. Know Someone: Abuja is already known as a city where “connection” is needed to get anything done. So it’s very okay to use this means to get a job as long as you are being legit about it. Most companies don’t openly announce their vacancies and there’s a lot of competition out there so knowing someone in your field would really help you.

If you don’t know anyone, don’t panic. That’s what the networking events out there are for. Volunteering can also expose you to people and opportunities.

3. Take a risk: I’ve seen people get jobs by taking risks. They didn’t sit and wait for the companies they wanted to announce for vacancies, they approached them (probably sent an email introducing themselves and what they have to offer) and they persevered. You really have nothing to lose here.

4. Packaging: As I stated earlier, and I’m sure you already know this but THERE’S A LOT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE. So you really need to stand out, brand yourself properly. From your CV to the way you present yourself, there has to be something unique about you. You can start with building confidence then gradually navigate your way through.

Tip: Think of all the best qualities you can imagine and find ways to incorporate that into your lifestyle and you are good to go!

5. Positive energy: There’s a lot of hardship out there, yes I said it HARDSHIP. And employers want people who are positive, creative, energetic, and forward thinking. Trust me, that energy radiates, if you are a negative person it will show! Don’t ask me how.

Stay positive always, no matter how things currently are, don’t give up. Try to understand that EVERYONE is going through something, so don’t take it personally, you are not alone, it’s just part of life. Just keep working hard and developing yourself in every way you can and life would pleasantly surprise you.

Are you currently working? Please share what it took you to land your job.

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Recently, I’ve been obsessed with quite a number of songs and I’d like to share them with you. In my opinion, these songs are inspirational. Hopefully you’ll draw some inspiration from them too. Here are 6 Songs to Add to Your Playlist

Seen this?

Ever since I got married, some people have asked me for relationship advice and I'm like. .. via GIPHY I'ts really difficult giving relationship advice because everyone is different and every relationship…

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Three Instagram feeds that will inspire you to stay healthy this summer, and hopefully… For life! @greengrillhouse Follow this food guru for exciting and colourful ways to enjoy healthy meals, with daily…

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Finding purpose is a journey for everyone, unfortunately, not everyone bothers about finding out what their purpose is in life. Some people are more interested in being successful (which unfortunately, they equate…

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Summer is upon us!!

And it’s that time on the year again…where everyone is looking for summer sales, the most affordable summer destinations and cheap flights available…In this post I will share top 5 affordable summer destinations you should book now.

I wish I could travel all year round! but work and my bank account won’t permit me to. sigh!

Travel should be a luxury, an affordable one at that, you don’t need to break the bank to explore the world.

If you follow me on Instagram (FOLLOW ME!!! @GINGERLIELIFESTYE) you would notice in my “Travel Diaries” highlight that I have been to several destinations (Zanzibar, Turkey, Niger, Maryland, Florida, Seattle, New York, Dubai, Manchester, and several Places in Nigeria like Obudu cattle ranch, Usman Dam and others.

I’ve only just listed places I’ve visited physically! I have been to a lot more places in my head 😀 I can’t wait to travel the world…but till then here’s a list of AFFORDABLE SUMMER DESTINATIONS.

Life is SHORT

& the world is WIDE

…Travel while you can…

1. Zanzibar: I’m sure you aren’t surprised I’ve listed this here. The weather is friendly all year round and if you’re travelling from Nigeria get ready to be a millionaire! read all about PLANNING A TRIP TO ZANZIBAR here

2. Dubai: Now I’m not sure if Dubai falls under the category of “affordable” but one thing i’m sure of is that you won’t regret it. There are lot’s of affordable flights from Lagos to Dubai…make sure the “Safari Desert” is on your to – do list. Thank me later!

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She Leads Africa Event | Abuja

Happy New Month everyone!!!I hope you all enjoyed last month and are looking forward to all this month has to offer. I had so much fun last weekend at the She Hive event hosted by she Leads Africa. Apparently it was organized by two young ladies!!! (I guess I didn’t do my research properly before attending, don’t judge!). I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the founders, Yasmine Belo-Osagie, she is a warm person and humble too. I didn’t want to ask her too many questions…. LOL. But i was truly impressed.It was refreshing seeing young ladies create a platform for other young ladies to be empowered, learn and in totality, achieve their professional dreams.

I left She hive with a new found perception of entrepreneurship and success in general. I mean after listening to various speakers who had excelled in their fields why wouldn’t I? I definitely took home a whole lot more than I paid for. It was money well spent.